Site Search Navigation

Site Navigation

Site Mobile Navigation

Redefining Representation: The Women of the 116th Congress

Photographs by ELIZABETH D. HERMAN and
CELESTE SLOMANJAN. 14, 2019

Just over a century ago, Jeannette Rankin of Montana won a seat in the House of Representatives, becoming the first woman ever elected to federal office. In 1917, 128 years after the first United States Congress convened, she was sworn into its 65th session.

One hundred and two years later, one has become 131 — the number of women serving in both chambers of the 116th Congress as of this month.

Susan Brooks R, Ind.

Abigail Spanberger D, Va.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez D, N.Y.

Alma Adams D, N.C.

Cindy Axne D, Iowa

Angie Craig D, Minn.

Anna Eshoo D, Calif.

“It gives me pride to be the woman Speaker of the House of this Congress, which marks 100 years since women won the right to vote, and as we serve with more than 100 women.”Nancy Pelosi D, Calif.

Ann Kirkpatrick D, Ariz.

Ann Wagner R, Mo.

Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen R, American Samoa

Ayanna Pressley D, Mass.

Betty McCollum D, Minn.

Yvette Clarke D, N.Y.

Veronica Escobar D, Tex.

“Being a woman in power means knowing it’s O.K. to be fierce.”Joni Ernst R, Iowa

Cheri Bustos D, Ill.

Chrissy Houlahan D, Pa.

Kamala Harris D, Calif.

Jenniffer González-Colón R, P.R.

Debbie Lesko R, Ariz.

Tammy Baldwin D, Wis.

Katie Porter D, Calif.

Lauren Underwood D, Ill.

Lisa Murkowski R, Alaska

“Congress has never heard a voice like mine. After years of seeing my community at the whim of national politics while organizing in Indian Country, it was time for me to take the lead.”Deb Haaland D, N.M.

Lucy McBath D, Ga.

Donna Shalala D, Fla.

For most of recorded American history, political power has looked a certain way. Portraits of power call certain images to mind — those of older, white men, dressed in suits and depicted in formal settings.

The 2018 midterm elections ushered in a change in representation; for the first time, more than 100 women serve in the House of Representatives — out of 435 seats — and members of color were elected in more states than ever before.

This portraits series documents the women of the 116th Congress in their totality. Like the work of Kehinde Wiley, who painted Barack Obama’s official presidential portrait, these photographs evoke the imagery we are used to seeing in the halls of power, but place people not previously seen as powerful starkly in the frames.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s official portrait, left, and Representative Yvette Clarke, Democrat of New York.

Viewed together, these portraits demonstrate the scale of the number of women in both the House and Senate. But, when seen as singular portraits, each image represents an individual with her own perspective — in political beliefs, personal goals and histories.

Many of these women, spanning generations, serve as firsts in Congress: the first women representing their states, the first female combat veteran, the first Native American women, the first Muslim women, the first openly gay member of the Senate, the first woman Speaker of the House — the list goes on.

Eddie Bernice Johnson D, Tex.

Elissa Slotkin D, Mich.

Jackie Speier D, Calif.

Elise Stefanik R, N.Y.

Elaine Luria D, Va.

Kyrsten Sinema D, Ariz.

Grace Meng D, N.Y.

Grace Napolitano D, Calif.

Gwen Moore D, Wis.

Haley Stevens D, Mich.

“The disconnect between the America I heard about in the refugee camp, a land of opportunity where everyone had an equal shot at a better life, compared to the one I found has motivated me since the first day I arrived.”Ilhan Omar D, Minn.

Marsha Blackburn R, Tenn.

Jackie Walorski R, Ind.

Jacky Rosen D, Nev.

Jahana Hayes D, Conn.

Cindy Hyde-Smith R, Miss.

Jeanne Shaheen D, N.H.

Jennifer Wexton D, Va.

Amy Klobuchar D, Minn.

“I’m a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a business owner and a bison farmer. I don’t think my gender defines who I am, but it does add value and perspective to the decisions I make.”Carol Miller R, W.Va.

Joyce Beatty D, Ohio

Judy Chu D, Calif.

Julia Brownley D, Calif.

Elizabeth Warren D, Mass.

Karen Bass D, Calif.

Katherine Clark D, Mass.

Kathleen Rice D, N.Y.

Catherine Cortez Masto D, Nev.

Katie Hill D, Calif.

Debbie Stabenow D, Mich.

Kay Granger R, Tex.

Kendra Horn D, Okla.

Kim Schrier D, Wash.

Frederica Wilson D, Fla.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz D, Fla.

Kathy Castor D, Fla.

Ann McLane Kuster D, N.H.

“To truly represent the American people, Congress needs more women and moms. I’m expecting my third baby since I was elected to serve, and it is a privilege to offer my unique perspective as we shape policy for all American families.”Jaime Herrera Beutler R, Wash.

Eleanor Holmes Norton D, D.C.

Martha McSally R, Ariz.

Cathy McMorris Rodgers R, Wash.

Barbara Lee D, Calif.

Bonnie Watson Coleman D, N.J.

Jan Schakowsky D, Ill.

Debbie Dingell D, Mich.

Doris Matsui D, Calif.

Shelley Moore Capito R, W.Va.

Chellie Pingree D, Me.

Though women’s numbers in Congress have, on average, risen over the years, growth has been neither linear nor steady. And while white women have served in Congress since 1917, and in the Senate since 1922 (though at the time only for one day), it wasn’t until 1964 that a woman of color was elected, when Patsy Takemoto Mink was voted into the House. The Senate did not have its first woman of color until Illinois elected Carol Moseley Braun in 1992.

Recent gains in women’s representation have been unevenly split across the political aisle. While in the 1980s, Democrats and Republicans had roughly the same number of women serving, about 80 percent of the women in Congress now are Democrats.

What it means to be a woman in power varies significantly, even among this class of 131 women. For some, their identity as women is an integral aspect of their life experiences and thus their legislative approach. Others say they are not defined by their gender and should be seen as politicians that happen to be women, rather than women politicians.

More women holding elected office is significant not only in that it brings Congress closer to looking like the American population. It also expands the collective imagination about what power can and should look like.

Portraits of these women of the 116th Congress are a testament to what power looks like in 2019 — and the possibilities of what it may look like in the years to come.

— Elizabeth D. Herman

Linda Sanchéz D, Calif.

“Seeing folks in my community frustrated by the lack of economic opportunity and the negative rhetoric in our national politics motivated me.”Lisa Blunt Rochester D, Del.

Dianne Feinstein D, Calif.

Lizzie Fletcher D, Tex.

Lois Frankel D, Fla.

Lori Trahan D, Mass.

Lucille Roybal-Allard D, Calif.

Dina Titus D, Nev.

Madeleine Dean D, Pa.

Suzanne Bonamici D, Ore.

Marcia Fudge D, Ohio

Marcy Kaptur D, Ohio

Norma Torres D, Calif.

Martha Roby R, Alabama

Mary Gay Scanlon D, Pa.

Maxine Waters D, Calif.

Mazie Hirono D, Hawaii

Mikie Sherrill D, N.J.

Stephanie Murphy D, Fla.

Nita Lowey D, N.Y.

Maria Cantwell D, Wash.

Nydia Velázquez D, N.Y.

Patty Murray D, Wash.

Kirsten Gillibrand D, N.Y.

Pramila Jayapal D, Wash.

Rashida Tlaib D, Mich.

Robin Kelly D, Ill.

Rosa DeLauro D, Conn.

Sharice Davids D, Kan.

Sheila Jackson Lee D, Tex.

Deb Fischer R, Neb.

Stacey Plaskett D, V.I.

Maggie Hassan D, N.H.

Abby Finkenauer D, Iowa

“Maine has a long tradition of women in power. The legendary Senator Margaret Chase Smith was senator the entire time I was growing up.”Susan Collins R, Me.

Susan Davis D, Calif.

Susan Wild D, Pa.

Susie Lee D, Nev.

Diana DeGette D, Colo.

Suzan DelBene D, Wash.

Nanette Diaz Barragán D, Calif.

Sylvia Garcia D, Tex.

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell D, Fla.

“I promised myself I would do whatever it took to honor my buddies who saved my life on that dusty battlefield in Iraq and repay them for their sacrifice. I realized that the best thing I could do to continue to serve our country and help make it better was to run for office.”Tammy Duckworth D, Ill.

Terri Sewell D, Ala.

Tina Smith D, Minn.

Tulsi Gabbard D, Hawaii

Val Demings D, Fla.

Carolyn Maloney D, N.Y.

Vicky Hartzler R, Mo.

Virginia Foxx R, N.C.

Xochitl Torres Small D, N.M.

Brenda Lawrence D, Mich.

Zoe Lofgren D, Calif.

Tap anywhere to close

Please rotate your device.

The portraits include 130 of the women members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, including non-voting delegates. Representative Liz Cheney, Republican of Wyoming, was not available to be photographed.